This post was originally published on this site.
They’re cheaper and greener than air conditioning, but which evaporative cooler impressed us most?
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• Dyson HushJet Mini Cool fan review
Air coolers should not be confused with air conditioning. An air cooler can lower your room temperature by a couple of degrees, while aircon can lower it by tens of degrees. So it’s important to manage your expectations. But air coolers are much more energy efficient: they use a fraction of the electricity of aircon.
Evaporative air coolers work by pulling warm air through water-soaked pads. The water evaporates, which uses energy, so the process cools the air. So while it’s not fridge-cold like aircon, the air is cooling – like a sea breeze taking the edge off summer heat.
Best air cooler overall:
Swan Nordic air cooler – currently out of stock
Best portable air cooler:
Morphy Richards Flexi Freeze